The Dillon tribune., 1887-04-08
TENEMENT CIGARS
.,cxeu,xo SCENES ,.nSSs AMONG THE
s'ckE"l1 c,1y,s cIeAeMAkees'

-,., c,mp,e,,'s Story of tho Children IN
Helen r-. in the Teneme' Houses OF
1t "o'A n;.ease aud Death in tho
e. the cigar making trade that
1t IS Evils turn during the Gull
tonleh - .,;1 onc finds in it representatives
eeason, 'na ~, tra,Ic in which women arc en-
TOLL Eor.d The sewing women eI.p'oyvu ,.,,n ~
gaseo, ind Clothing manufactures during ring
ea,' t,,sv ,,r season have no resource save
INC o, md thus prices are kept Gown ana
Chs anr,ar an~ lar cisarmakers constantly re-
Shc si r ~ the irregular. In the present
snlole:e. ,r:s ~ chiefly with regular makers
ease !. W. honee was filed, one room, q
ehat ,ns Luz. tlan twelve by fourteen feet.
nt!v lie. ~ family Of sevcn persons, three
holans children under 10, oil girls. To-
q lnei% 'av IN pilcs on tho floor and under
oacco -, ,+sllc nt one end where the cigars
sne !ons ss,,o1 its rank smell dominating
Tcle ..e,a .v The sinks ard from the general
sna' sMn :. not only Of this room but cf tho
s.nsa %.r, a "a a whole. Two CT TIC children
svV ~. ~ the floor stripping the leaves, and
". I.ther !" IN small stool. A girl of 20 sat
sa sasr the,.,. and ell alike had sores on lips
rsJ' ssI cheeks and on the hands.
TIE LITTLE TOTS AT WORK.
c,;,1ren from or 6 years up can bo
..saht U to strip and thus add to the weeks
:",S ;aco1ne which is fer less for the tenement
Somsa manufacture than for regular fac
s"rv ; work, the latter averaging from 70
!" - S1o week. Dut the work If done ct
s.,ro can be made to include the entire
s"",;iv .v,,T end some 1000 women are engaged
= 4 nm almost equal but unregistered
~ nrrnher Of young children sharing it with
:her,. As in sewing, q number Of women
sftau club together, using one room. and
IN snch cases their babies crawl about in
.ha y. filth on the wet floors, playing with
ihc damp tobacco and breathing the poison
uith which the room is saturated.
IIerc, as in tobacco factories, women
and rirls Of every age become speedily tho
victims Of nervous and hystcrical COM
najnts, the direct result CT nicotine poi
souing, while succeeding these cc,.o con-
sumption and throat diseases resulting
from the dust. Can!ser is one Of The most
ircoucnt difficulties, cnd sores of many
orders, the trade involving moro dangers
than cny that can 5e chosen. Yet because
:a entire family can find occupation in it,
with no necessity for leaving home, it is
often preferred to easier employment. 1t |
Is the children who suffer most, growth
being stuntcd, nervous disease developed
and ending often in st. Vitus' dance. end
skin Diseases Of every order being tho rule,
the causes being not only tobacco, but tho |
filth in which they live.
THE POISON OF PREPARATION.
It is doubtful il tho most invcterate
smoker would feel much relish for thu
cigar manufactured under such condi-
tons, yet hundreds Of thousands go out |
yearly from these houses, bearing in every
haf the poison Of their preparation. In
this one house nearly thirty children Of I'LL
yes and sizes, babies prcdoninating,
nled IN the tobacco which covered the
ier and was piled in every direction, and
dthese children under 10 thirteen were
hppers and did their days work Ct
tn hours and more. Physical dcgencra-
ton in its worst forms become inevitable,
Even the factory ctil,sworkcr fares better,
iNin the factory there is exercise ard tho
going 10 and from work, while in the tcn-
emeat eae house cigar making the worn out
ltt'e creatures crawl to the bed, often
onya pile Of rags in the corner, CT lie
so0a On G heap Of the tobacco itself,
Iea'hn9s the poison Cay and night un.n-
truptcdly.
wees OF every order flourish il, such air.
sss sau morality III this trade is at the lowest
yoo ". Nervous excitement is SO inteuso
sla' necessarily nothing but immortality
s.a result, and the child of 8 or 10 is as
sSss and confirmed an offender cs tic fun
s:s"a s..," man or woman. Diligcnt search
ss.overs ~ lew exceptions to this rule. and
40 s Whole matter has reached = staro
saele ,a legislative interference is absolutely
,sn. aspensable. Only in forbidtling tc,c-
@su a:us nousc manufacture absolutely can
'.sa as!e % any safety for either ccnsr.:,er or
Campbell
~. .vfs